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Sunday, July 11, 2010

From Chicago, which is exactly 7 hours and 37 minutes away from Nashville, it's your host, the woman who drank WAY too much caffeine today and couldn't sit still if her life depended on it, Dawn Meehan!

Some fabulous bloggers and I are participating in Do Good Day with 77 Kids by American Eagle on the 14th. We're all bringing our kids and going to a local Ronald McDonald house to cook lunch for the families staying there. On the way home, the kids and I are going to be making stops here and there to pass out $77 dollars and do random acts of kindness for people. I encourage all of you to get involved on the 14th too! Blog about the cool, pay-it-forward things you and your kids do and let me know so I can link to it here!

And now, answers to this week's burning questions.

You don't have to have a camper to go camping! Don't you have tents and sleeping bags??Yeah, I'm gonna go out and buy a tent and sleeping bags. NOT! I didn't even like camping in an air-conditioned camper with a bathtub, a microwave, and actual beds.

What's lower than dork? You now, just so I know how far I have to fall.I asked Savannah, "What's lower than a dork?" She said, "Austin." Ahhh, sibling love.

My daughter bought those kind of shoes too and I tried them on but felt like I was going to tip over.LOL. Do yours feel like that too ?Only when I've had a couple cocktails before my walk.

Umm, you did read that you should only wear them [Shape-Up shoes] a couple of hours a day until you get used to them right? You will be SORE if you dont.I don't read instructions. That's cheating.

We the People would like before and after shots of your derriere. :) Actually I just wanted to see how brave you are....brave enough to post pics of your butt?!?! LOL!Heck no! But it has nothing to do with bravery. I just don't want to lose my entire readership in one fell swoop.

Just an FYI. Not sure if the same is true with the Sketchers but my sister-in-law had the Reeboks similar to these and she now has to have foot surgery! Apparently this is a big problem for a lot of people who wear shoes like these. You may want to check into it a little before getting a lot of use out of them and then needing surgery!Really? Cool! That would be awesome! I imagine I'd get out of running errands and cooking and cleaning for a while.

You got demoted to dork because of the shoes? That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

The dad of 6 kids lives in the southeastern part of the USA. You are thinking of moving to North Carolina? Coincidence? Maybe?!?!Actually, where I'm considering moving is about 4 hours farther away. Not that I've looked into it or anything.

ok Dawn I already commented but then I went over to Spuds blog and do you know that that man loves to go camping and anything outdoorsy?!?Yeah well, no one's perfect.

Oh no, no, no, you're not going to hide the GINORMOUS piece of information about your having dinner with Spuds in a blog post about past mistakes. Oh no. Details! We need details! When? Where?For some of us, this is like a daily soap opera. We must keep up with the latest in Dawn's world! And if you are a part of it, well congrats but we must get to know you too.

Sigh. Okay, I guess I can't avoid this or I'll have an uprising on my blog. Spuds and I have been talking daily for a month or so. Here are a dozen things I know...

1. He's not the person you see in a lot of his blog posts.2. He loves being a dad. I mean, he really loves it! When his kids are gone (like they were for the past couple weeks), he feels like part of him is missing. I can relate. When they got home last night, he didn't even have to tell me. I could hear the happiness. He was once again complete.3. He's seen more than most of us ever will. He's been shot, stabbed, and blown up. More than once. But the scars you don't see are the worst and although it's nice talking to someone who has the same scars you do, it's sad at the same time.4. He swears too much.5. He does crazy things like make homemade donuts for his kids when there are perfectly good donut stores around.6. He's read the Bible. The whole Bible. Multiple times. But unlike most of us, he doesn't just go with the flow and do what everyone else does and believe what everyone else does just because that's what he's been told to do. He searches for answers. And to those of you who find it necessary to email him about his heathenness, I just have to laugh. You have no clue. And the fact that you judge without knowing anything makes you the heathens in my book.7. He has an amazing group of close friends who love and respect him, chah!8. He's got a chest circumference that's bigger than mine. Not sure about the butt.9. He has motorcycles! And a whole zoo worth of animals that this city girl can't fathom.10. He has a whole triage thing with his kids. Imaginary owies or small scratches only get wet toilet paper and not bandaids. I know! Maybe I should send them some bandaids.11. He's not entirely uncute. ;)12. And finally, we may, possibly, be meeting in person soon...

34 comments:

YOU, miss Lady, are a total Rockin' Momma! I'm new to reading this whole bloggy stuff. But I'm not knew to Spuds. I've been running with him for the past 10 years. People who don't know him always think he comes across as a jerk, he is. Chah!! Not really! He's the Dude you want to have standing beside you when the **it hits the fan. He may not be your typical churchy dude, but I know he prays, I've seen it. And best of all, he just keeps talking about some amazing momma up in Chicago.

And Hi all you Single Ladies!!! I'm Rico, original FOS (Friend of Spuds) CHAH!!!

I imagine I'd get out of running errands and cooking and cleaning for a while.

HA! You wish! My husbeast was deployed whe I went through knee surgery (they removed some dead bone) and I was ordered to spend 2 weeks in bed, 6 weeks in a wheelchair. Care to guess who had to go grocery shopping the very next day since the locusts declared there was nothing to eat in the house? Or who had to spend those 6 weeks taking the kids back and forth to scout meetings, church functions, choir practice and all the other things that just could not be missed? It wasn't the tooth fairy!

No matter how wounded we may be, we're the ones who still have to function every single day. We don't even got the bragging rights of a Purple Heart to show for it! I feel gypped.

All I can say is...snag him while you can honey! It would be the BEST decision you've ever made. I "see" through the talk and gruffness and he is very much like my husband. We just celebrated 19 years and we are still going strong like newlyweds! They're the best kind to have your back, to stand by your side and to pick you up when you're down! All of the comments about a guy not helping out...it's a lie. This guy (the Spuds type of guy, my hubby type of guy) is there when you need them, helping in all areas and realizing it takes two to make things work well! No job is "a woman's" or "a man's"! Best of luck on things working out between you two because if they do, crappy decisions of the past will be entirely made up for! :o)

I'm sure it feels a bit frenzied with all the questions involving you and Spuds but I know for myself it's just nice to know you've found someone to relate to/with after this last year of yours. Heck probably more like the last 10+ years of yours. It's just really nice to know and see the friendship forming, I thank you for inviting us into that even if some may be coming on too strong about it. I do have a SSO one about this- When and how did you come across him? I'll also take dibs on Rico cos I like my meat some kinda brown lol! You never cease to make me laugh during your posts. And I so think you should send bandaids before he gets better ideas like duck tape and superglue.

Ok forget about the whole rest of the SSO - the part about Spuds was THE BEST! Since you mentioned his blog I've been following it and he sounds like a sincerely funny & genuine person. Whether things work out romantically or you just become good friends who understand where the other is coming from...it's all good.

Ah Geez! Thanks Dawn! You're awesome! I don't know.. I can be pretty "heathen-ish" sometimes. I do swear too much, but not as much. My 8 yo daughter follows me around collecting "bad word dollars" from me. Seriously, she bought a new DS with her money. But I'm doing better. Now I have a pretty little lady reminding me to speak more softly because I have ears (and eyes) around me. I do make homemade doughnuts and all of you are invited over for doughnuts! (just not all at the same time). I do read the Bible. But it's mostly been so that I can find a loophole and sneak in to heaven through the laundry room door... kidding. I havnen't planted my eschatological flag yet. But I'm searching.I do have amazing friends. Rico really isn't retarded. He just writes the way he talks. (Chah) And Jenn, he's a 6' 5" tall blond headed surfer boy from San Diego. There aint no brown meat on him. But he's a hoot! Keeps all of us laughing when he does his "virility dance" at bars.Chest circumference... I am not supposed to admit to pondering Dawns comment on that one. I am a gentleman and all... :)Triage is important. Bandaids are for bleeding wounds onlly. I'm tough like that.And I'm not good looking. I guess I'm roguishly and ruggedly endowed. (That means ugly but with a big ego and attitude.)And, yes, I get the honor of taking Miss Dawn to dinner at that famous little eatery in Chicago on August... I better not say. Judging by the comments I think we would have an entire crowd of Dawn's fans show up to serve as chaperones. I promise to be a gentleman! And yes, I have been doing a lot of grinning myself, lately!

Love the follow-up comment from Spuds. People should never judge a book by it's cover. For people who choose that route, it's their loss and they miss out on getting to know how someone really is.

Dawn - it's great to hear you have someone you can relate to. If nothing ever comes of it, at least you have a made a great friend. Like us other nosy readers, I look forward to seeing the dinner post next month. You know you can't keep that a secret!

Would it be tacky or completely inappropriate to ask if Spuds is divorced or widowed? While it doesn't make any difference, I still find myself curious. I guess how things are worded in his profile have me curious.

No matter what happens tomorrow, it is good to hear (okay, read) a lilt in your voice today!

Bloggers don't talk about the things they wish to keep private for a reason.For example, my divorce has been pretty horrible. If I wrote about everything that Joe's been doing, you guys probably wouldn't believe me. Some of you would get physically ill. And, on the off-chance my kids read my blog, I do not want them knowing those details at all!

awww Dawn Im really happy for you. I think you are an amazing women and I think spuds is a pretty cool guy just from reading his posts and such. I dont think he is a heathen I think he is a tough guy with a big heart, just like my hubby. Reading his comment here actually brought tears to my eyes. Huge hugs to you Dawn. YOU ROCK!!

As a student of world religions I get it. I figure that on the off chance that one religion is right I've got my foot in every door. I'm GETTING into heaven. haha! I'm just kidding, but I do really get studying religion to find your own truth. Let people call me a heathen. People can say what they want it doesn't make it true.

Spuds seems like a great guy, and you are an awesome woman. Friendship or more than that is up for the two of you to decide, but either way you both rock!

Hi DawnI don't read blogs generally, but have been completely addicted to yours ever since someone posted a link to your eBay auction on the eBay UK message boards (and now, thanks to your recommendation am also addicted to Spuds blog).I've never felt the need to comment before because I didn't think I had anything to add, but this time I felt I had to echo some of the other comments about how, in the last few weeks your posts seemed to be laughing again.

You and Spud seem to have very similar outlooks on life and definitely an almost identical sense of humour and regardless of anything else, at the very least, in the words of Humphrey Bogart: I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

Thank you for having the talent, humour and commitment to maintain this blog and letting us share some of your life. Good luck for the future, and remember that everything happens for a reason.

@Dawn - Spuds might be feeling a little threatened right now. So he's lashing out. As his former sidekick, I was always asked to get him a PB (no J) sandwich, his favorite teddy bear and a large glass of bourbon (sweet tea). After 30 minutes of that he starts thinking right again.

See! What I MEANT to say was.. go ahead and sidekick for Dawn because I'm sure she makes AWESOME spaghetti! That's what I meant to write.... you're so pretty, Dawn... I'm just going to be quiet and go over there and write my blogs. Yup, that's what I'm going to do. ....

lol Crap the back and forth in the comments is cracking me up in itself. You guys are too disgustingly cute. And thanks for the heads up on surfer guy Spuds..dang me and thinking Rico was a dead giveaway! You guys should do some QnA on here :)

P.S. I had to come back cos I had a different comment I wanted to leave but got sidetracked reading all this! I was driving home and since it's kinda, barely nice in FL tonite I had my front windows down and my sunroof open..all the sudden I see flapping wings in the rearview and thought hmm that bird was close.. then realized I had a MothBat IN MY CAR which of course flew at me as it hit me that it was IN MY CAR and I just lost it. I seriously could have crashed cos of course right then it came at me on it's mission to eat my face off (or touch me) until the fate of the wind sucked it out of the sunroof. Just kjfdkjs and whew. Paybacks for laughing at your ordeal!